Articles
Those Pesky 'Weightier Matters'
When Jesus confronted the religious leaders and their hypocrisy, one of the things He noted was the fact they would “pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin” and had, at the same time, “neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith” (Matt. 23:23). In their own minds, these men were more particular than their religious counterparts, and certainly more than the general populace, and they proved their scrupulousness with the law by tithing even the smallest and least valuable herbs, lest someone should be able to say they had not kept the Law. Let's not be fooled, though, by their apparent fastidiousness, because it was all about outward appearances; they had no real interest in true righteousness or in actually pleasing God.
In noting their practice, Jesus reminds us that we may sometimes focus on one part of the commandments to the exclusion, or neglect, of others. I know we all shake our collective heads at the hypocrisy and superficiality of the religious leaders of the first century — especially the Pharisees — but we would do well to take an honest look at ourselves to make sure we are not unconsciously doing some of the same things for which Jesus condemned them as hypocrites.
In this case, in particular, I know we read of their practice of tithing these insignificant herbs, but overlooking “the weightier matters,” and internally condemn such as the hypocrisy it is, and rightfully so. But let's be careful! Maybe we are not much better than those hypocritical scribes and Pharisees! How so?
First, let's note that Jesus, at this time, identified “weightier matters” as “justice and mercy and faith.” Let's note, first of all, that Jesus was not outlining the complete list of “weightier matters,” but simply noting the things they were neglecting. His point was, they were putting on a show of outward righteousness, but inside — the very part God looks at to see who we truly are (1 Sam. 16:7) — they were spiritually repugnant and abhorrent to the Lord. Later, He would describe them as “like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matt. 23:27, 28). Not a pretty picture!
Second, let's consider what it was they were neglecting: “justice and mercy and faith.” Justice is a judgment or decision regarding a person or a matter as to whether it is right or wrong. This is, in all cases, an issue of how one treats his fellow man; justice is a matter of fair and equal treatment, and something God has always required of his people (cf. Lev. 19:15). The scribes and Pharisees, however, had 'overlooked' this requirement when it suited them, and even created their own standards by which others would be judged. It was not justice by any reasonable definition, though.
As much as we would like to believe we practice justice all the time in this country, many individuals and even a great majority of minorities and people of color would beg to differ. Justice, for some, simply means they are punished to the full extent of the laws of the land, and not a matter of doing what is right, fair, and equitable. Individuals of a different background or different color are often treated differently in almost every step of the process, from arrest to whether or not one is incarcerated, to the charges filed against them [or none at all], to how they are judged in court; that is not justice, and we embarrass ourselves when we deny it isn't or, worse, try to defend the injustices that are being handed down. As people of God, we — of all people — should seek justice for all, and expose and condemn injustice whenever it is found. Justice is more than a matter of punishing someone as they deserve; it is also a matter of treating all individuals equally and showing no favoritism one way or the other. It is about fairness.
The second thing Jesus noted that they neglected was mercy. By definition, mercy is 'kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them' [Thayer's]; simply put, it is compassion. This, too, is a matter of how we treat our fellow man, and is not ever a matter based on merit or worthiness. Mercy is not giving someone what they deserve, but what they need. It has always been required by the Lord of His people, too (cf. Mic. 6:8; Zech. 7:9), yet the scribes and Pharisees somehow 'overlooked' this, too. Jesus would condemn them for making long prayers in pretense, while they would also “devour widows’ houses” (Matt. 23:14). What a farce! They were not pious or righteous or merciful, but they wanted everyone to think they were.
The last thing Jesus noted that they had neglected was faith. Of course, this is a matter of how one perceives, and relates to, God; faith is multi-faceted in that it is a matter of conviction [belief], trust, and fidelity [i.e., faithfulness]. Sadly, this did not describe the scribes and Pharisees, for what they did, they did because it was tradition, and not a matter of trusting in God or conviction. They were, in fact, condemned for setting aside the commandments of God so they could keep their traditions (Mark 7:8); tradition has nothing to do with faith, yet they would have considered themselves 'faithful' to God even as they set those commandments aside!
Now, again, let's remember that Jesus had not outlined the complete list of “weightier matters,” but was simply noting the parts they had neglected. As we consider the things they had neglected, we must now turns our eyes back to self and ask, "What have I neglected?" Lest we fall into the same pattern of the scribes and Pharisees and think we are all fine and dandy as we are, we might want to take a closer and more thorough look at self to make sure we are not doing the same thing they did by focusing on one aspect of our faith and service to God, to the neglect of other, more important things.
The apostle Paul admonished the early disciples, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified” (2 Cor. 13:5). Without self-examination, it just may be that we are neglecting some “weightier matters” and unaware of it. But ignorance is no excuse. Study God's word thoroughly, then examine self thoroughly, because the world is watching, and the Lord knows who we really are. — Steven Harper
